1924 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Steuarts ‘Maharajah of Mysore’
The Silver Ghost lineage is one of the most revered in Rolls-Royce lore, and contributed to the brand’s reputation for making the greatest automobile in the world. The Silver Ghost name comes from Rolls-Royce 40/50hp. Its colour and quiet engine gave the car its name, and it proved otherworldly during its 15,000-mile test run, which involved driving between Glasgow and London 27 times without fail. Silver Ghosts would also make their mark in motor sport, winning the Austrian Alpine Trial in 1913.
The Delhi Durbar celebration of the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in December 1911, was one of the most spectacular displays of Indian pageantry that the world had seen. And with the automobile now firmly part of the Indian Princes’ culture, fleets of automobiles were purchased to provide transport for their honored guests and the rulers themselves. Eight of these were identical 40/50hp Rolls-Royce and each were to be Landaulettes built by the most noted British coachbuilders such as Barker, Hooper, H.J. Mulliner and Windovers. 1683 was the one exception, being an entirely closed car. In one of the more detailed orders that one will see for a ‘Ghost, with many notes of liaison between the client and the company, the factory build sheets note that H.J. Mulliner were required to construct Pullman Limousine coachwork, finished in dark green with white coachlines. With nickel brightwork, it must have been a handsome conveyance, which was luxuriously appointed and came with many of the latest ‘options’ that the coachbuilder and manufacturer could offer. Topping it off, the Coat of Arms was to be ’emblazoned on the panels’. As denoted on the factory order, this was for the use of the Maharajah of Mysore, to whom it passed after the Delhi Durbar.
Among numerous pictorial references, it is featured in the Lawrence Dalton book ‘Those Elegant Rolls Royce’ and was immortalised in the Melbourne Brindle/Phil May book Twenty Silver Ghosts where it is illustrated with the Taj Mahal as its backdrop. Its mileage is thought to have been extremely modest in its Indian service, perhaps less than 10,000 and the succession of noted Silver Ghost collectors who have owned it have ensured that its condition has remained appropriately fine. There is no greater statement of this than the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Class win that it achieved at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, following a refurbishment at the hands of noted specialist David Hemmings, although its condition has aged just a little since. Its engine, number 91K is actually the unit originally fitted to one of the Maharajah of Mysore’s other Silver Ghosts and must have been exchanged at some point during its service.
The paint is royal blue over black in perfect condition with the bonnet left in polished aluminium. To the drivers quarters is black leather with original seat backs & re-leathered seat squab. An Aluminium dash with the requisite instruments completes the ensemble. Full photographs of the delightfully appointed rear quarters will follow soon.
This is a supremely elegant car with very very desirable Indian Coachwork. Silver Ghost motoring at its finest indeed. The car is of sufficient importance to have graced the RREC Stand at the NEC classic car show a few years ago. It is ready for long distance rallies & is a car I would not hesitate to drive the length of Europe in.
